Vehicle would not start. 48v battery light came on. Waited 15 minutes, vehicle started, drove to dealership who did diagnosis. Battery replacement required $1800 + $1200 labor. 2020 vehicle with 61K miles. Bought certified vehicle from MBZ dealership, added a MBZ 3 year or 100K mile extended warranty but this battery is considered a wear and tear item not covered. That would be fine except for the…
2020 mercedes-benz GLS-Class electrical problems
moderate 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$850
What owners are reporting 8 most recent
The vehicle warnign system displayed "48v Malfunction." Vehicke lost all acceleration in the middle of the highway. The vehicle was just returned3 days ago after undergoing a state inspection at the MB dealership. In looking at the issue on line this appears to be a known problem to Mercedes. They are even facing a class action lawsuit for it in the same model year GLE, which is based on many …
Upon starting the car, the screen of the 2020 Mercedes Benz GLS 450 remained blank. This includes the portion of the dashboard that reads speedometer, gas, temperature, RPM. The engine was running and truck could still be driven. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This is a major safety issue as the driver does not have visibility to the dashboard with all it's important infor…
I have noticed a significant issue with the AC vent system of my Mercedes GLS 450. The vents seem to be distributing mold smell already took my vehicle multiple times to park place Mercedes in Dallas and they performed service but the issue is persistent. I have taken the vehicle to my local Mercedes service center, where they attempted to address the issue. However, despite their efforts, the pro…
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, A SERIES OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WARNINGS WERE DISPLAYED IN RAPID SUCCESSION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO GLIDE. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING AT 25-30 MPH. THE WARNINGS WERE SPECIFIC TO THE 48V ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS OPERABLE AFTER THE INCIDENT AND IT…
While driving on the New Jersey Turnpike on November 17, 2023, a burning smell was noticed inside the car. The smell lasted about an hour. No smoke was present and the car continued to operate. While concerned, I assumed it was environmental and outside the car. On November 25, 2023 my car threw a 48V battery warning and forcibly shut off. We were not on a highway at the time and were able t…
The vehicle issued a “48v battery malfunction” and the car warned me not to drive the vehicle under any circumstance. This was while driving at 55 mph on a country road. The dealer I bought the car from had 3 other cars brought in for the same issue. The dealer my car was towed to said they just had one with the same issue come in. Based on my reading, this is a serious issue and it appears that c…
While driving, vehicle has abruptly stopped/engine turned off causing car to not accelerate and come to a stop. One instance was on a busy freeway, causing our family to pull off the interstate with nearly no curb, risking rear-end collision due to the abrupt stalling of the vehicle. In this instance, the 48 volt battery failure warning, engine overheat warning, engine light warning came on. When …
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2020 mercedes-benz GLS-Class?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 15 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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